Severin (Huguenot)

Severin (died December 1559) was a French Huguenot rebel who took part in a failed assassination attempt against King Francis II of France in 1559. He and two other conspirators, dressed as royal guards, raped Mary, Queen of Scots before fleeing, and they were later tracked down by Mary and Louis I of Bourbon, Prince de Conde and burned to death.

Biography
Severin was born in rural France, and he worked as a farmer and had a son, known to history only as "the Minister". He and his family converted to Protestantism during the Reformation, and, in 1559, his son was murdered, allegedly by King Francis II of France; his body was hung on an upside-down cross in the middle of the village. Severin decided to join several other radical Huguenots in attempting to avenge the Minister by assassinating King Francis, and Severin and two other Huguenots dressed in the armor of royal guards and snuck into the Palace of Fontainebleau. When they failed to locate Francis, they raped Mary, Queen of Scots in her chamber before fleeing. Mary kept her assault secret and instead had her husband hunt down the Huguenots. Mary and Louis I of Bourbon, Prince de Conde tracked down the three assassins to a village hut one night, and Conde cut their legs in preparation for Mary to take them prisoner and have them questioned at the castle. When Severin bragged about raping Mary and said that he would be absolved for his sins after his death, Mary threw a lantern at him, setting him on fire. She then had Louis kill the two other Huguenots and let the fire consume the house and their bodies.